


Tensile Strength

by SuperFandoms



Category: Transformers Animated (2007)
Genre: Brainwashing, Branding, Decently soft considering what it is, Mind Games, Prowl is Not Ok, Psychological Torture, Shockwave Syndrome, hot damn screamer sucks, just all around a bad time, not romantic - Freeform, or at least it may be counted as such, swapping factions, this is psychological torture no romance to be found
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:34:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26879785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuperFandoms/pseuds/SuperFandoms
Summary: Prowl wakes up on the moon. This can't possibly end well.
Comments: 9
Kudos: 10





	Tensile Strength

**Author's Note:**

> Mind the tags, please.  
> Takes place about when "A Fistfull of Energon" would, until "A Bridge Too Close".

Prowl's optics come online almost before the rest of him can. He keeps their light dim, unsure of his location. As he reboots fully, he becomes aware of his servos being held with stasis cuffs, and his pedes, chained to a metal wall. At the revelation that he couldn't move even if he wanted to, Prowl hisses softly.

A short sound, a scuff of metal against metal, silences Prowl, who turns his head to track the source. He doesn't need to do so, a screechy voice instantly alerting him to his captor.

"Good, good! You're online!" Starscream clasps his clawed servos together. "I have a few demands. First of all-"

Smirking, Prowl cuts this nonsense off then and there. "I'm not helping you."

Perplexingly, this seems to be exactly what Starscream wants, as he grins. "Not now, no! But really, it's in your best interests to hear me out."

"And _why_ would that be?" Prowl's left brow ridge raises skeptically.

"Because," The seeker paused for dramatic effect, "I'm the only one who knows where you are. Scanners can't detect us, and I have all the time in the universe." He punctuated his sentence with a foul smirk to rival Prowl's best.

At Prowl's glare, Starscream just cackled, and left, throwing a "Have fun in there!" over his pauldron. The remnants of his voice die out rapidly, odd, considering the metal. The place should be an echo chamber. Prowl activates his scanners, running a quick sweep on the area. He isn't sure why Starscream didn't deactivate them, but he'll take advantage of the oversight.

That's odd, the scans are bringing up sensor readings for absolutely nothing, as if he's in a void. Perhaps a vaccum..? Though that would mean that he's off-planet. It bears consideration, even if it is an unpleasant idea. But where off-planet would have this much metal? Humans sent up satellites into orbit frequently, perhaps he was in one of those.

Bah. He should get out of this room to see for himself. Although he's equipped with stasis cuffs, if he can get his chains off, reconnaissance may be an option. Pulling on his shackles, Prowl notes their density. His attempts to scan the metal fail, sparks firing off in his internals.

Alright, then. This was thoroughly unpleasant. Prowl wishes that he could ask Starscream about this place, but the blasted Decepticon would likely demand that he help, first. A stray thought crosses his processor, how long did Starscream intend to wait? If Prowl was patient, Starscream might give up. If Starscream was patient...

Well, it's a good thing that Prowl's a cyber-ninja. This could even be an opportunity to practice processor-over-matter, should he try to put a positive spin on the situation.

He should try to recharge. He'll need to be at the top of his game to fend off any tricks. With that, Prowl settles down, and attempts to find a comfortable position to rest. Remarkably, the stasis cuffs don't once go off.

\---

As he reboots, Prowl can hear muttering in the background. Or maybe foreground, he was always a heavy recharger.

"What was that human term? 'Rise and shine?' That doesn't make any sense. Ugh."

Prowl stayed still, no need to attract attention. Starscream's mumbling kept going anyways.

"Human phrases are inane. They don't shine, and how far could they _possibly_ rise at that size? Is it metaphorical? Has to be, but what's the origin? It's idiotic."

Maybe drawing attention to himself would get Starscream to shut up. Probably not, it'd just get directed at him. His face involuntarily twisted in disdain, and the Decepticon stopped talking. What do you know. Instead, he approached Prowl, poking his helm.

"Sit up, I know you're online." Groaning, Prowl obliges, flickering his optics. "Excellent! Now, as I'm sure you've noticed, your thrusters, poor though they are, and hologram emitter are both missing."

Scoffing, the ninja replied scathingly, "Are you going to spin some lie about how you didn't take them?"

Starscream seems genuinely hurt, brushing it away with annoyance. "If it was a lie, then yes. Some bounty hunter found his way up here with you." He waves a servo. "I just figured I'd get an ally out of it."

Prowl continues his skepticism. "Sure. And do you plan on telling me why I'll help you?"

His captor grins broadly. "Because, yet again, I'm the only one who'll keep you around."

"I don't follow."

Starscream seems briefly perplexed. "Well, there's a number of ways to interpret that- Ahem. Both work for my point! Your Autobot fellows don't really like you, mm? Too close to a warrior for their liking? Too close to a warbuild?" He ignores Prowl's brief protests. "Don't lie to me! You've got weapons on hand! Usually, at least."

True to form, Prowl's glaives are not on his chassis. "Optimus has an axe, Bulkhead has wrecking balls. Bumblebee has his stingers."

Prowl could've sworn he heard his captor mumble Bulkhead's name. "The axe and wrecking ball are tools, that just so happen to work as weapons! And I bet those stingers are _civilian grade._ " The last two words were spit out with vitriol. "'Self defense only,' am I right?"

He can only nod, hesitantly. 

As if his point was proven, Starscream beams at his captive. "I'll leave you to think on that! By the way, I do have your mods. For when you join me, of course."

With that, he stands up and leaves Prowl behind.

\---

Three Earth cycles pass without interruption. Prowl has been unable to use processor-over-matter. He recalls a brief aside that Bumblebee once these in his direction, to "Use the force, Luke!" Prowl has no idea what that meant.

Grumbling softly to himself, he's startled by the door finally opening, Starscream sauntering in with two energon cubes. 

"Guess who!"

"A broken mess of a Cybertronian."

"Rude." 

Starscream gives him a cube anyways. Prowl carefully inspects it, tasting a small amount for additives. There don't seem to be any, so he swallows his intakefull and waits.

"So!" Starscream begins. "I was talking to your teammate Bumblebee!"

Prowl furrowed his browridges, visor crinkling at the center.

His captor notices, and explains. "Information trade, it got conversational. Anyways, he was talking about that whole 'space barnacle' incident. I've seen them override a bot's consciousness before. He was explaining that he was barely touched by the things, but you were under for longer. Care to share?"

All Starscream received was a disbelieving huff. A pitying look is sent his way. "I understand. I'll just take my leave, then." With that, he scoops up both cubes and trots ponderously towards the exit. Prowl's invent catches on something as he realizes just how much he needs the fuel.

With a rattling of chains, he shouts, "Wait!" Starscream pauses and turns slightly, looking expectantly. "I'll tell you about it."

More important than the company is the fuel, and Prowl sets to it with a passion. Starscream places a gentle servo on Prowl's arm chevron, freezing his movements.

"It's not healthy to drink so quickly, not on an empty tank. Talk while you refuel." The concern seems almost genuine, just a touch of curiosity ruining the facade.

Prowl nods slowly. He opens his intake, resetting his vocalizer once. Starscream looks endlessly patient.

"I... It's a haze. Not the memories! But rather..." He pauses, thinking on how to explain so he can continue refueling. "The experience proper. I held them off for a short while, but they kept on multiplying, and then did _something_ to my processor... " He tries to take a sip of energon, but a clawed servo holds him back. With a shuddering breath, Prowl continues.

"The barnacles-" Prowl offlined his optics sharply. "They changed my perceptions. I was floating, almost, inside my own body. They moved it with bolts of my own electricity, yanking my limbs around. I don't remember what they did with my body, I just-" Prowl's vocalizer chokes to a halt, and he doesn't see the comforting limb until it's around his pauldrons, holding tightly.

Outlining his optics, Prowl watches Starscream cautiously. With his free servo, Starscream brings Prowl's cube back to its owner.

"I'm sorry." Something almost short-circuits in Prowl. "I knew how traumatic that was, and asked you to share anyways."

"You knew? H-how?"

Starscream looked over pityingly. "I've been through that myself." Prowl isn't sure whether to believe him or not, and just finishes his cube, looking into it.

\---

It's to be expected. An entire orn has passed, with nothing but an occasional cube placed by his side as he recharges. Then, as if nothing had happened, Starscream waltzes back into the room, waving at Prowl fondly. He settles himself a couple pede-lengths away, then watches his captive expectantly.

At Starscream's look fading to boredom, Prowl speaks up. "What have you-" He pauses awkwardly. "Has my team been searching for me?"

His captor seems unsurprised. "They seem to be under the impression that you've gone offline. Of course, none of them bothered to ask _me,_ so there's no reason to the contrary, for them."

Prowl shifts uneasily. "Would you tell them? If I had something to offer you?"

"An intriguing proposal! And, in fact, you can offer me something!" Starscream smirked unabashedly. "Call me your friend. Thank me when I bring your energon. That's all, for now!"

"..."

The captive thinks it over. His revulsion or his team's hope? What would he destroy? He sorely wished there was actually a choice.

"Thank you for getting me energon, and... You're a good friend." His intake feels dusty.

Starscream smiles. It looks genuine. It can't be. "You're welcome, as are you! See, that was easy. Now, unless you have any objections, I'll go tell the Autobots, now."

This is cruelty. Does he hurt his own mental state or his team's? Prowl hisses softly. "I'd like to talk more. Friend."

His 'friend' beams in a glorious way. "Sure, what do you want to talk about?"

Prowl wants to beg for Starscream to stop putting the pressure of communication on him. Instead he asks, "How far are we from my team?"

Bubbling laughter, somehow escaping the definition of a cackle, sounds off. "Oh, just a few of those Earth miles! Or kilometers, if you prefer. I don't, though."

Just a few miles? There had to be some trick. "Are you lying?"

Starscream cut off his giggles instantly. "That's a mean thing to ask a friend." His soft, hurt look causes Prowl to flinch. "It's alright, I've dealt with worse!" Starscream immediately regales some grand tale about a dispute over personal space ending with him in the medbay.

He isn't as horrified as he ought to be.

\---

"Thank you."

"Mhm. You ever think about your frametype?"

What brought this on? "Not often, no. I was forged this way."

Starscream sneers. "Functionist propaganda, I swear to Primus..." He groans and cradles his helm in his servos. "'s my own fault for bringing it up."

Prowl hesitantly lays a servo on Starscream's pauldron, his other servo dangling in his stasis cuffs next to it. "The blame is on me. Why do you wonder about frametypes?" 

"Eh." Starscream leans into Prowl's touch. "Just wondering how a two-wheeler ended up a warrior."

Said two-wheeler resets his vocalizer. "Chance. I was a draft-dodger, and landed myself squarely in the Cyber-ninja Corps." Red optics peered down at him. "Master Yoketron was incredible."

Starscream nodded. "Would learning have been easier in a warframe? Or a flightframe? Were the moves made for bots of your shape?"

A small frown finds itself on Prowl's faceplates. "I'm not sure." He hesitates, rolling an idea around in his processor. It's a horrible idea. He finds himself vocalizing it anyways. "I could teach you?"

His 'friend' snorts. "I don't have the patience for that. What I do have, however, is a better idea! You..." Starscream's grin is sharp enough to server bonds. "...teach yourself."

Prowl mulls over the meaning, and goes for information instead. "I'm afraid I don't understand, friend."

Starscream's grin fades to a gentle smile. "I'm suggesting a frame transfer. Temporary, of course!" 

Though he can hear Starscream continue on, Prowl is frozen, intake slightly agape. No. _No!_ He couldn't have the protoforms, he couldn't! How had they survived this long? He-

He tries to stagger to his pedes, but his legs refuse to move. Starscream's assurances peter off at Prowl's attempt to reach the future of his species.

"Prowl?" And that's the first time he's heard his name in far too much time, so he stops to gasp out his concern.

"The protoforms. You have them." He chokes on a realization. "You _stole_ them!" And now his legs are working, but the chains aren't long enough for Prowl to properly launch himself at Starscream, and he can only scratch paint.

The stasis cuffs still haven't gone off. It's at least a breem before he stops, shivering.it

"No." Starscream's expression is sorrowful. "Cold Constructed forms. No sparks." Prowl sags. "I'm still up for the idea." Prowl is disgusted.

Maybe a warframe would be easier to escape with. "Fine. Sure."

The response is a sly grin.

\---

Prowl wakes up. He inspects his new form. It's... Very similar to Starscream's. He isn't sure what he was expecting. There's far more active systems than in his own body, probably because his pedes have thrusters.

He's still chained to a wall. Looking at the room, rather than his body, he discovers that it's the same room as before. Though he has no doubt that most rooms in this place look the same, his unoccupied body is a decent clue. Prowl brings his now-clawed servos up to his faceplates.

"I don't know why I agreed to this..." Well, if he thinks about it, it's probably due to an absurd amount of emotional manipulation. Prowl groans. "Wouldn't have said yes in my right mind."

This has got to stop. No more of indulging Starscream's fantasies, Prowl will just have to deal with the isolation. He should have done this ages ago. At least now, he has a stronger frame for any escape attempts.

When Starscream walks in, Prowl doesn't bother to check the time. "How are you holding up? Is your frame treating you well?" 

No response is given. "Come now, are you truly that unhappy with it?" Prowl won't dignify that with an answer. It's not a terrible frame to have. "Ah, you're upset at me. Tell me what I did wrong." He almost snaps at Starscream there, but keeps his intake shut.

"I see. Well, as per our prior rules, I can't give you your energon. I'm sorry." Prowl curls up, and his wings scrape the wall. The sensation can be described as sour. "Oh, don't do that. Wings are sensitive." Starscream sighs, long and drawn out. "Have a good orn, friend."

Prowl twitches, but stays silent.

\---

It's impossible to tell how much time has actually passed, his chronometer is nonfunctional. Most of his systems seem to be, really. Thrusters, transformation, certain sections of his sensory net, weapons, scanners, and so on. Almost all that is working are his optics and tactile responses.

He keeps his optics off. No one wants to stare at their corpse. His audials, however, stay on. He can't stand not having a way to know what's happening around him.

Eventually, he'll enter stasis lock. Without energon, everything will slowly cease to function, excepting core functions such as energon flow to his spark. He wonders what would happen if this frame went offline. Would his own frame continue to function? Would his spark gutter as soon as he was in it?

Prowl sorely wished his chronometer was online.

\---

Though he had no true way of telling how long he had been alone, Prowl's best estimate was around a decaorn. The solitude was getting to him, he would readily admit. The energon deficiency had reached absurd levels as well, leaving him at 7%. By his estimates, if he turned his audials off, he would have two joors until stasis lock set in.

Pain receptors had been shut off two orns (probably two orns) ago, when the pain in his form from starvation became nigh-overwhelming. Oh, nevermind, his levels just dropped to 6%. That doesn't seem right, it shouldn't be draining that quickly!

Prowl panics, and decides to call for help. He onlines his vocaliser, and is forced to wait a breem for the energon flow to reach it. When it finally boots up, Prowl screams wordlessly. Static pours out of him, with his own voice a backdrop for the hisses and crackling. The effort, at such a low percentage, drops him to 5%.

Instantly, his form forces him into stasis lock, even his processor shutting down to the most basic of functions. His limbs to numb, only his torso capable of receiving tactile input. He can only barely register when he _does_ receive input, something on his back. 

Soon, his energon levels are rising. Prowl isn't entirely sure why, until his sensory net reboots, allowing him to feel the energon sliding down his throat, body held tenderly. Eventually, his energy levels are high enough to turn his optics back on.

With a whir, his visual fees resumes. Starscream is right in front of him, concern written along his body language, faceplates held cautiously neutral. That isn't right, he was supposed to be- No, no, this was good. Company, fuel. Prowl relaxes.

Mimicking him, Starscream leans in and wraps an arm around Prowl in a quick hug. He then seems to realize what he's doing, and backs away again.

"Ahem. I'm glad you're online, friend. How are you feeling?"

"...Like I'm forgetting something? I'm not sure." Prowl can't think on what exactly it is that he's forgotten, Starscream's concerns bowling him over.

"Physically, Prowl, if you would."

Prowl frowns. "I don't know? Better." He remembers a promise. "Thank you. For the energon."

Starscream seems surprised. "Of course! That's what friends do." He leans in towards Prowl. "I'll be here as long as you need me."

Hesitantly, but not entirely sure why, Prowl hugs Starscream in return, idly noting that he isn't cuffed. "That... That may be a while..."

"Fine by me. I have all the time in the universe." Prowl smiles softly.

"Thank you." In a much smaller voice, he repeats himself.

\---

The two fall into a comfortable rhythm. Prowl paces the room unshackled, pointedly ignoring his corpse, until Starscream enters. Prowl thanks him for the energon, and then Starscream tells him about the more recent occurrences with the Autobots, apparently only miles away. Prowl still isn't sure how that would work.

"I found that bounty hunter that first captured you up here again. Don't worry, he's offline now." Prowl nods, emotions a whirl. His wings twitch wildly. "Turns out, he was carrying some cyber-ninja gear." Starscream holds up a helmet. "Does this mean anything to you?"

Prowl carefully reaches out to hold the helmet, Starscream appearing bemused as he hands it over. It's gold and black in his servos, pronged and curved beautifully. "This was Master Yoketron's helmet..!" Prowl holds it close to himself, and leans helm-first against a wall.

"The bounty hunter must have killed him..." Prowl turns around, optics sharp. "What was the bounty hunter's designation?"

"Lockdown? Why?"

Turning back around, Prowl sinks to the ground. "Lockdown used to be a Cyber-ninja. He was hired to steal the protoforms. I always thought the Decepticons ordered it."

Starscream huffs. "No, if I remember properly, the Elite Guard wanted to produce new soldiers for the war. The Decepticons just stumbled upon them while raiding Autobot ships for supplies. They should still be unused, unless my absence sparked a particularly bad patch of morality."

The newer flightframe smiles slightly. "At least it wasn't entirely meant. If they're unused, still, then Cybertron may still hold a promising future."

"You speak as if the war still continues!"

"Just because the Autobots rule Cybertron doesn't mean that the war's over." Prowl thinks back. "Unless the Autobots don't rule it? The-" He stops again, turning back to Starscream, an inscrutable look on his faceplates. "The Elite Guard is filled with corruption. Even if they think they're Autobots, they don't live up to the standards of one."

His speech gutters to a halt, and he places a servo over his spark chamber. "I don't live up to their standards, either."

"Yes, but you aren't exactly claiming to be one right now, are you?" The question was obviously rhetorical, but Prowl frowns. "You don't have their brand on, do you?"

Prowl looks himself over, and finds no Autobrand. "It isn't really a brand, anyways. Just a decal."

"That temporary?" Starscream is frowning, now. "Decepticon brands are meant to last. No lapse in judgment changes who we've decided to be."

"That sounds nice." Prowl scratches the spot a brand would go on his chassis. "I don't know what I am anymore. That kind of stability sounds... It sounds reassuring."

Starscream hums agreement. "I could try to get my servos on a branding iron, if you want."

Thinking to himself, Prowl wonders when he became so indecisive. Putting an end to it, he responds, "Yes. I want that."

\---

"Are you ready?" Starscream holds the branding iron in both servos. "You can back out if you'd like."

Prowl shakes his helm. "I'm not going to be indecisive anymore. I'm ready."

"Then repeat after me: I pledge my unquestioning loyalty to the Decepticon cause. 

"I pledge my unquestioning loyalty to the Decepticon cause."

"I shall devote my spark to achieving our goal of a Decepticon controlled Cybertron, by any means necessary."

"I shall devote my spark to achieving our goal of a Decepticon controlled Cybertron, by any means necessary." Prowl's voice barely wavers.

"And annihilate all who have driven us from our rightful homeworld."

Prowl mimics Starscream's tone perfectly.

"Surrender is not an option."

Sibilant, Prowl repeats, "Surrender is not an option."

"Then welcome, brave Decepticon. Your destiny awaits." With no further fanfare, the Deceptibrand is pressed deep into Prowl's chassis.

A deep pain stabs through his form, Prowl screams and he can feel his spark chamber _melting-_

And then it's over, the pain a memory, the brand bubbling and cooling on his chest. A red tint is over his vision, and Prowl becomes vividly aware of just how blue everything was before. He invents deeply and rapidly, almost panting.

Starscream places the brand carefully by the corpse in the room, and walks back to Prowl calmly.

"Are you alright?"

The newest Decepticon somehow combines a mumble and a groan into a noise best described as "Mmrgh." He musters up the energy for a proper response. "Yes. I hesitate to call it nice, but there's an air of... Finality to it. A- a piece of an identity to latch onto."

The elder of the pair nods. "I'm sure you'll want to recover before going on any missions?"

Prowl almost echoes the last word, then decides better of it. "No. If it's alright, I'd like to begin helping now."

Starscream's expression is one of shock. "You would go against your former compatriots so soon?"

"I don't know how long it's been, but... As long as I don't have to fight them directly, I should be mostly ok."

Shock fades into self-assurance. "If you're certain, then I'll see about finding an Allspark fragment for us to get." His optics stretch briefly. "They may ask who you are. Are you prepared for them to know what's happened since you were last alongside them?"

Prowl shuts his optics tightly in fear, then opens them. "This- I don't want them to know."

"New designation it is! Given your new frame, it's got to be something seeker in origin. Perhaps... Well, who cares if it's a seeker name. The Autobots don't know the difference." 

"Maybe just Stalk? It means much the same thing, really..." 

Starscream shrugs. "Your designation, Stalk. Nice to hear your decisiveness at work."

The newly dubbed Stalk smiles, a soft thing. 

"Before you can get out in the skies, you need to learn how to fly."

Stalk's smile immediately falls.

\---

Learning to fly is humiliating. Actually flying is a dream come true. Starscream had somehow acquired a mechanical copy of his alt-mode and had him scan it, using it was exhilarating. Soaring and twirling with Earth above him and its moon below... He'd achieved something close in the past with his jump jets, but nothing quite compares to finally getting out of that room and into the sky. He never wants to go back to the moon. Never. 

Starscream seems to agree when Stalk finally is capable of hovering, not just moving forward. "Fuel levels?"

"86%!"

"Up we go, then!" Starscream transforms, rocketing towards Earth. Stalk follows, and the two twist about midair. The elder is obviously limiting himself for Stalk's sake. He can live with that.

Eventually, the two come to a halt, hovering over a warehouse. Stalk can hear arguing from inside.

Sending a glance his way, Starscream shoots the roof and the two lower down menacingly, together.


End file.
